A Promise Is A Promise

A Promise Is A Promise

Genesis 24: 2,3&9(NLT)

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Intro: A businessman was traveling on a plane for the first time. He had always been terrified of flying but his next appointment required him to do so. The flight was going well when suddenly the plane shuddered. The pilot came over the intercom and announced that the engines on the right side had stopped so the were making an emergency landing. Shortly there after, another shudder and the pilot announced the other engines had stopped. Everyone was informed to assume the crash position with their head between their knees.

For the first time the businessman felt vulnerable. He had never felt the need to cry out to God but at that moment he did. “God,” he prayed. “ If you will allow me to survive this crash I take a solemn vow to give to charity half of all my possessions.”

Suddenly all four engines began working again and the plane glided smoothly onto the runway. The businessman rushed to disembark.

As he made his way out of the runway area the man who had been seated beside him spoke to him. “Excuse me sir. I am a pastor involved in several charities. I heard your vow to the Lord concerning your possessions. I can guide you in keeping that vow by recommending some outstanding charities that have needs.”

The businessman replied “That won’t be necessary. You see I made a new vow with God. I vowed if I ever got on another plane, He could have it all.”

. Sometimes the promises people make are nothing more than lip service aren't they?

. This morning we are going to look at a promise and how it was fulfilled in the narrative of the search for a wife for Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah.

. We are back in Genesis this morning, chapter 24.

. It is a love story in a way. The chapter tells of the search and finding a wife for Isaac. It is 67 verse long and is somewhat redundant so I am going to tell you this love story and then we will come back and look at a couple of verses.

. The story starts out by telling us that Abraham was a very old man.( I thought that he was old when Isaac was born 100 years old.)

. He was 140 years old at this time and his wife Sarah had just died and he probably felt in his heart that it was time for his son to marry. He did not want him to marry any of the local girls who were Canaanites and did not worship the one true God.

. Abraham calls his chief servant into the house and tells him that he wants him to go back to Abrahams homeland before God called him into the place they were now living and find a wife for his son Isaac.

. He wants him to find a suitable wife for his son among his relatives. Isaac is 40 years old and it is time.

. The servant agrees to this and he travels back to the ancestral home of Abraham where his brother Nahor had settled.

. He stops just outside of town by the local well and as was the custom the young women from town were coming out to draw water for the evening.

. He looks around and sees all these young women adn thinks, how in the world am I ever going to find a wife for Isaac like this. So many choices. So he went back to his default position.

. A little side note here. When we are faced with a situation that seems impossible, where we don't have a clue how to proceed, we also have a default position. The same one this nameless servant had.

. Prayer.

. We can learn much from this example of overwhelming doubt and conflict.

. We can always stop and pray and wait for God to answer.

. That's what he did. He prayed Lord, help me. Give me success in this quest. There are all these girls walking around here and I have not a clue who to talk to.

. He said Lord, this is what I will do. I will ask one of them if they will give me a drink of water and if she does and then she also waters my camels, that will be the one. If she does not, I will try another.

. About that time a girl named Rebekah came walking up and she fulfilled all of the requirements that he had asked God to do.

. Lo and behold she not only watered everybody, she was also the granddaughter of Nahor, Abrahams brother. She met all the criteria that he had been given. ( aint God good)